We Were There
by Lynn Ryter
Summary: Who would have known, the popular guy of the school, the captain of the soccer team and the Casanova of District 2 High, was incapable of feeling the most simplest of emotion to its depth? Gadge. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N:- This story is inspired by the Japanese __shōjo__ manga 'Bokura Ga Ita' that translates into 'We Were There'. It's a lovely manga and I am absolutely in love with it. If you read manga by any chance then you have got to read it. The concept has been imbibed but other than that the characters are from Hunger Games itself. _

**Disclaimer:- The characters are not mine but borrowed from Suzanne Collins' epic-est saga 'The Hunger Games Trilogy'. 'Bokura Ga Ita' is solely the property of Yuki Obata. The plotline, however, is my property and creation.**

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_Who would have known, the popular guy of the school, the captain of the soccer team, the Casanova of District 2 High, the teachers'pet and the all-rounder, was incapable of feeling the most simplest of emotion to its depth?_

_._

No one. Nobody knew who this guy really was. And that's not anybody's fault. It's his. Because there was one thing this guy had learned very well. He had the art of superficiality perfected down to the T.

The nerves as usual are very high on the first day of the school. New school, new teachers, new people. And it didn't help that I was an introvert by nature. Though in the end I faired pretty well since most of the people are friendly enough to come talk to me and I consider myself a decent company.

And it didn't help that the first person I came across on my first day to this new school was him.

I took me a while to get to my locker. I had gone early in the morning to the administration office where the lady at reception, Ms. Effie Trinket, told me to wait it out for a few minutes. It wasn't very hard since the entire time, all I could do was sit and gawk at the lady's dressing sense. It wasn't…bad, just bizarre. I will end at that. She was nice though. Quickly, she handed me my locker number with its code, my timetable and a brochure about the school.

"Have a lovely first day, sweetheart!" she had said. If only.

He was leaning against the locker, this friends or should I say his lackeys, were standing around him in a circle. Apparently, something very funny was being discussed, because he was laughing very hard. Which annoyed me. Why did he have to laugh against my locker? Can't he go do it somewhere else? As it is I am a bit nervous. But no can do. So I walked up to their group and cleared my throat loudly.

No response.

I cleared my throat even louder this time.

"Geez, I heard you the first time girl," he snickered and nodded to dismiss his band of lackeys. He moved out of my way but stood back to watch. What? I found out a second later.

As soon as I opened my locker, blue paint splattered all over my, should I say white, shirt and went into my eyes, hurting as such. I stood there with my eyes closed shut tightly for a minute before clearing them and turning, only to see the sorry excuse of a guy laughing his ass off.

He was literally all over the floor. Call me a pessimist, I didn't find it funny. And it didn't even help that it was my first day of school and I was being bullied.

He got up and wiped the stray tear out of his eye. "I am so sorry," he said, trying to restrain his laughter with difficulty, "It was a dare."

He didn't look sorry to me at all. From any perspective. So when he extended his hand to me, an offer of friendship I believe, I completely ignored it and went in the opposite direction. Just before I rounded the corner, I threw one last look at him, thinking him gone.

But he hadn't moved at all. He was looking right at me, and this time my heart skipped a beat. Because, he didn't have any sort of expression on his face. None.

That was the first time I peeked behind the curtains of superficiality that was Gale Hawthorne.

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_A/N:- Sounds promising?_

_General points to note._

_There may be a few additional characters but that's it._

_Gale and Madge (and thus by connection, Peeta, Thom and Katniss also) happen to be the same age as them)_

_There might be a few developments in the story that you might find unpleasant and for that I am absolutely sorry, though I will be more than happy to take your advice into consideration. I am, however under no obligation to follow them._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:- I will be changing my style of writing here and there, experiment with a few chapters if you guys don't mind. After all, I am here to learn how to write. Regardless of that, the story shouldn't be affected in any manner so it shouldn't be much of a big deal. Thank you all and I know I made you wait for long so I will be posting the next chapter to this tomorrow. It's an apology, of my kind. **

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><p><em>It is said<em> _that you find love in the most unexpected place, that you fall for someone who you wouldn't even think yourself falling for._

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><p>"What are you even talking about Madge?" There's no way Madge could have missed the voice laced with confusion even across the line. "It's not even been a day there and you say you are in love with him? That's ridiculous," Peeta states.<p>

I pout, though I know he wouldn't see it across the line. "You don't know what happened today!" I say frustrated. It could be one of those fated love stories. Like the forbidden ones! Oh, how I crave those.

"Actually, I do know what happened. You just told me." He says in that old matter-of-fact manner. "As for the other guy who pranked you, what was his name again?"

"Gale," I said sourly, "Gale Hawthorne."

"Yeah, him. Did you tell anyone about what he did to you? Your dad? Your mom? Anyone?"

"Not really. I don't want to seem the tattletale kind on the very first day," I mumble. And from what I saw and heard today, it was a good decision not to. He was the golden boy to the school. Everyone was in love with him. Everyone.

"You can't just sit there and let him prank you, you know," I hear a sigh and silence follows. I could practically feel him pacing the expanse of his kitchen. It brings a smile to my face, the way he cares about me like nobody does. He is like a brother to me, more than that if you ask me. Because even my bloodline seems to be made of water here. Throws the phrase 'Blood runs thicker than water' down the drain right away. "Tell you what? If he does it one more time, you tell me. Okay?" That earns a laugh from me. "What? What was so funny about that?"

"Nothing. It's just, you can't do anything from there and-"

"Who says I can't do anything from here?" Peeta grumbles and I giggle. He is just so adorable. "And I will have you know that Katniss has been rubbing off on me. I could do some really damage you know."

To that we both end up laughing. It's just too preposterous. It's exactly why Peeta and I ended up being best friends in the first instance. We are too good for our own liking. _He_ is mostly, I might be a fraction of it but it's mostly because I don't want to get into messy stuff rather than hold the notion that someone else might get 'hurt' like Peeta.

"Tell me more. Did you make any new friends. Other than that hottie you fell in love with?" Tinge of sarcasm but I ignore it.

"Yeah. This girl, her name's Johanna and we are getting off so well already!" I say with enthusiasm. Though I only met her in my last class.

"And how's it that I am being replaced so quickly?" Peeta says but I could hear a note of smile in his voice. He is happy that I found someone to be with.

"Oh drop it. You just like it when I admit no one can replace you." Peeta chuckles and then remains silent which I take for my cue to continue. "I met her during our Home Economics class. And, and, guess what?"

"What?" He says, probably smiling and rolling his eyes at my childish gig.

"She hates the jerk too!" I squeal! This is just getting ridiculous now.

"Gale? Why does _she_ hate him?"

"I don't really know the details but her anger towards him was very apparent when the jerk walked in. So I asked her what's it with her and Gale. She was like, and I quote, I hate his guts."

"So," Peeta drags it clearly wanting to speak his mind but is second judging whether he should or not.

"Out with it!" I laugh. He laughs and then there he goes with his fatherly mood.

"So why didn't you sit with her for lunch?" And there we go back to square one.

Because for one, she doesn't seem like she is interested in making friends with anyone. I took the seat beside her because it was empty, which I learned was empty for a reason. She had a vibe around her that said 'Don't dare approach me and try be friends with me because I don't give a damn about you and your life'. And that's a pretty heavy vibe if you ask me. So, on that note I would say she is a tentative friend. It was my first day! I wouldn't be so quick to judge. And two, like I said, I only noticed her during our last class in the Home Eco room. But that's the last thing that grabs my attention, of course.

"I don't get why are you so against me being in love with Thom?"

"I don't get why are you so adamant to being in love with Thom!"

"Peeta!" I say exasperatedly. "You should have seen how nice he was. Despite what his asshole of a best friend did to me, he came and stood outside the girl's washroom and sent his hankie to me through another girl! It was so sweet of him! And then he offered me to sit with him for lunch!"

"Don't tell me you brought his _hankie_ with you home…" He was met with silence. "Madge!"

"I was going to give it to him tomorrow after washing it! It's not like I was going to frame it and stuff," I would have, but I can't.

"You do know those two best friends might be playing 'good cop-bad cop' with you."

"Peeta, that's enough. If he was then don't you think I am smart enough to catch it? And anyways, we didn't do much other than him walking me to my class after washroom and then chatting about our classes and stuff. He was just kind to me and I can bet even you wouldn't judge him after meeting him." A sigh followed.

"Fine. I just, I care about you. That's all."

My lips quirk upwards in a faintest smile. "I know. But I can hold my own. You know that. You don't need to worry so much."

"But I can't help it," he laughs only to pause and I hear some talking on the other end, "Madge, I have got to go. My brother's shift just ended."

"Say hi to Emery and Rye for me."

"I will and don't be so quick to fall in love. Take your time. Have fun and keep me updated okay? Love you."

"Love you too," I end the call and fall back on my bed. Might as well get my homework done before dinner.

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><p>"Pay attention everyone!" I croaked.<p>

It had been a week since I got transferred here but it felt like I was here an eternity. Not because I felt like I belonged her but because the work load dropped on me was enormous. The teacher apparently had no one to trust till I came and being the model student I am, they didn't think one second before bombarding me with all the responsibilities they could. One of which was being elected the class president. Of course there is a voting system but since nobody wanted the responsibility and me being the new kid, I was elected unanimously.

"Gale!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. A few meters ahead of me he stood. Leaning against a tree. Surrounded by his lackeys and Thom. And then there was the second layer of fangirls. He turned his head to the side a bit and cocked his eyebrow. That ass. "Come here! Now!"

He huffed dramatically and gave a fake apologizing look to his fangirls before making his way towards me with a scowl. Behind him I could see Thom look at me with concern in his eyes and I felt I was a bit lighter.

This entire week was the most nightmarish dream I had ever had. I became good friends with Bristel and this other girl she is friends with, Delly. Whereas Bristel happens to be the calm and serious type, Delly completely contradicts her. Chirpy and loud and nosy. And somehow the two gel beautifully. And I fit right in. And so I end up sitting with them for lunch. Surprisingly, Thom and Gale sit with us for lunch too. How? Bristel happens to be childhood best friends with both of them. And even though, it's like I am on cloud nine with Thom sitting right across from me, smiling and joking with me… there's Gale.

"Now what, princess?" He scowls looking up at me.

"Now what? Now what!" He covers his ears. I can't believe this! "Why am I doing the entire work! Help me! You are the vice-president, you know?"

"Not willingly," he whispers under his breath. You and me both brother, I mentally scowl. The only difference is, he got elected because his fangirls got him elected because, I quote, Gale Hawthorne being a part of student council is sooo hot! Don't even get me started.

He turns and quickly climbs the small podium that adorns the huge ground. Standing right beside me, he turns to face the crowd which is still busy talking and discussing gossip which happens to be so much more important than the charity wall our school has organized for our grade. "Listen up guys!" He screams. And I swear if I didn't know better, I would have said I have gone deaf. The silence that spread across the entire ground was deafening. I could hear the leaves rustling in the wind. Unbelievable.

"Okay, I hope nobody has cellphone on them, as instructed. In case anyone has it, please hand it over to the respective homeroom teacher right now," he waited. Nobody moved. "Great. Now if you are caught with a cellphone on the walk, it will be confiscated and Madge and I will not be held responsible for it." A few people walked to hand it over to their homeroom teacher. "Good girl there Sharron," Gale smirked and she blushed. If I was in here place, I would have felt offended. It was as if he was petting his dog.

"Please get seated in your allocated buses according to your classes. We will reach the bottom of the hill in a few hours. The walk is approximately 10 kilometres long and there are four stops along the way. If you feel tired and think you can't continue make sure you reach those stops or have someone go to those stops to tell the teacher to pick you up on the trail. Any questions? No one? Good, now go to your buses." Everyone started moving to their buses and Gale and I stood there for a few minutes watching over them. If only he had come sooner. It didn't even take him 5 minutes to brief and send them to their buses.

"Madge?" Gale turns to me. I turn to face him and he gives me an impassive look. I wait for him to continue but he doesn't say anything.

It's easy to tell when he is thinking and he was thinking something right then. The difficulty was knowing what. What was he thinking?

"Do you have your cellphone on you?" Huh?

"No. We are not supposed to."

"I know. I was checking if you are breaking the rule yourself," he smirks. Of course, he was thinking that. There's no way Gale Hawthorne could articulate depth.

"Well, I am not!" I scoffed.

"You could be lying," he probed. "I should check you in case you have it on you." Such a pervert.

"You could be having it on you too. I don't trust you completely," I defensively said, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

He let out a very hearty laugh, something I had heard for the first time and reminded me of wind howling in the woods. I stared at him as he started walking down the steps towards our bus. Shaking his head he said, "You don't have to make excuses to feel me up. You just have to ask."

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><p>"And then…" I ignored what Delly was saying and started to look around. Don't get me wrong, the girl's amazing and I really like her but talks <em>way<em> too much. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Bristel wasn't paying much attention herself. But that still didn't stop Delly from talking her mouth off.

Looking around, I saw a group walking in front of us and I held my breath as I saw who it was. Of course there was Gale, but now it felt like a necessary evil.

There was but one person other than Thom and Gale that I recognized in the vicinity, standing (or walking) alone between both the groups.

Johanna.

An elbow jabbed me in my sides and I let out a yelp. I turned to give Bristel my best WTH look only to see her look at me with scrutiny. I shivered involuntarily. "Can I ask you something?"

I nodded, curious what she had to ask so suddenly.

"Do you, like, um… maybe have a crush on…?" Oh no, I don't like where this is going. I quickly avert my eyes and look towards the ground. Bad move. I basically admitted whatever she had to ask.

"I see," she sighed. I picked up my gaze to look at her, worrying as hell to see offence or any sort of emotion that would indicate that she wasn't comfortable about my crush on Thom but instead there was that impassive look on her face.

"You," I gulped, my throat suddenly dry from not speaking or for some reason entirely different, "you won't tell him, would you?"

She barely looked at me once before laughing hard. The atmosphere suddenly quieted down and I realized that it wasn't only for the fact that Delly had stopped talking to look at us. I saw up ahead and the guys were looking back, Gale with annoyance and Thom with that gentle amused expression of his. I blushed and looked alarmingly at Bristel. She took in my expression and smiled gently before turning to the guys with "Mind your own business, just girl talks here."

I could bet my life that Thom and Gale didn't take a minute to disregard her excuse. I knew her a week and the last thing I was expecting from Bristel was for her to get engaged in girl talks but they didn't pry as they turned and resumed their business. Delly, however, was attuned to our discussion now.

"What are we talking about?" She pried. Not with the malicious you-betrayed-me tone. She wasn't like that. Simply curious, she was.

"Our Madge here has a crush on the big bad boy," she grinned. I looked down hearing the crunch of the sand. I could do anything but this.

"Eeeeep!" Delly squealed and I looked quizzically at her. "You guys could go on double dates then!"

Huh? To say I was confused would be the understatement of the century.

"Double dates?" I pried. Was Bristel in love with Gale or something? It didn't really look like it. And if it was true, then she was one hell of an actor. I was usually reduced to a stuttering mess when it came to Thom. I took a quick look at her and found her cheeks tainted with pink. I couldn't help but smile. Bristel likes Gale! Wow, she was a girl after all.

"Yes!" Delly clapped her hands gleefully as if she was the one to go on these double dates, "It'd be so much fun! Well, I would obviously miss out but who cares! I am so happy for you!" And there she goes again. Though this time I was relieved for the distraction.

I looked ahead and saw Thom walking briskly, he had an athletic gait. Did he play some sort of sport?

"….oh! Oh! I know just the place for a double date which has this huge…"

He was looking at Gale and laughing at something he must have said. Something definitely sexual. I scrunched my nose. That Hawthorne, I thought, corrupting my Thom.

"….and you guys could go on honeymoons together…"

He had a very lean figure. I could make out even though he has a loose shirt and a jacket over it. He was wearing corduroys. Same color as that of Gale's. But it suited Thom more.

"…I could just see it, you know. Joint weddings. Bristel with Thom and Madge with Gale…." She sighed.

Wait, _what?! _I turned my head so fast that my neck cracked.

Just as I was about to protest a dull thud sounded somewhere in front of me. Before I could turn to see, Bristel's face morphed in pain and Delly let out a scream. I turned just in time to see the boys turn around as well and mine and Gale's eyes met a second before landing on the collapsed girl in between the two groups.

Gale immediately jumped into action, running towards Johanna and I did the same. He reached before me, kneeling down to check her pulse.

"It's a bit slow," he looked up at me. Now what? I simply nodded. Just then I realized how dumb I was acting. I was supposed to take up some initiative, call or do something, but I stood there motionless looking down at her and Gale.

Gale, on the other hand, quickly swung his backpack off of his shoulder and looked inside. He pulled out a water bottle, uncapped it and sprinkled some water on Johanna's face. Yes, I should have done that. Why didn't I think of that? I watched as he did it a few more times till Johanna stirred. As soon as she did, Gale closed his water bottle, his bag, swung it back onto his shoulder and moved forward to pick Johanna up.

Just then I realized something. Gale was doing all this as if he was very familiar with this procedure. Or was it because he was familiar with Johanna? As much as I shouldn't be thinking this at this particular moment, something rang true in my head. There has to be a reason why Johanna hates Gale. And even though Gale is an absolute pervert, there has to be a convention of personal space that he should obey. You cannot just simply grab a girl, given any reason.

Just then a yelp sounded that broke my train of thoughts.

"Don't!" she hissed. Gale only looked at her. With that blank look of his. "I can walk by myself."

"Johanna," I interjected, "let him help you."

In that one moment I felt like I was intruding in some private moment. Even as I said what I did, Johanna was looking at the ground, stubborn and a painful expression on her face. My gaze followed Gale who was looking at her. In that one moment I felt that there was more to them then they let on, because as opposed to what I thought Gale would feel (that is angry) he had a hurt and a pity expression all over his face.

When he spoke, his voice was void of any emotion, "Can you atleast walk to the edge of the road so we are not blocking anyone's path?"

Johanna got up albeit stumbling and walked to the edge. I followed motionlessly behind both of them. Gale threw Thom a look and Thom nodded before turning and continuing his trek. Delly and Bristel both approached the three of us and look at Johanna with concern.

"Would you like some juice?" Delly asked tentatively. Johanna shook her head.

"Would you guys mind staying here with her?" Gale asked both the girls and they nodded. He got up immediately and started walking in the opposite direction of trek route. I turned to see Bristel and Delly smiling at me smugly.

"You should go with him you know," Delly smiled. Yeah right. I was about to protest, but it dawned on me that I couldn't. Admitting I liked Thom not Gale was a bad move, especially since Bristel liked Thom. And I was in no place to pass up friends. I had to do something.

"Yeah and anyways you are the class president. You are responsible for her," Bristel quipped. I just couldn't bring myself to say otherwise. So I nodded wordlessly and took a hike to reach Gale.

He was far ahead for someone who had just started walking. He must have heard me panting because he looked at me over his shoulder and stopped.

"Quick, or else I will leave you behind," he said.

I quickly jogged the rest of the distance and stopped to take a breath when he started walking again.

"Hey! Wait up!"

"No way. If you slow me down, I swear I will leave you behind," I grumbled under my breath and walked fast, trailing behind him by a few steps. Every now and then I had to jog to catch up and it was really working me up. He must have realized that and took a pity on me because he slowed down considerably. He had long legs, I noticed.

"So," I drew the 'o' out to fill the silence. He looked at me with his eyebrows raised and he had thick eyebrows.

"So what?"

"You know Johanna pretty well," the way I said it, it sounded like a question at the end.

"I was in the same middle school as her," he said. That made sense.

"She's pretty cool," I don't know why I was still talking. It's like the silence between the two of us was heavy, unbearable.

"Yeah," he drawled.

"Don't you think she needs to get out more?" Stop talking Madge! "I mean, she is always by herself. I feel bad for her."

Gale looks at me over his shoulder and I could see he is trying to read my mind. I don't know what I am thinking myself. He didn't give away much. He looked back ahead. "Don't go hard on her." My gaze was on the back of his head, trying to gauze what he meant. "She has had a rough summer."

"How so?" I found myself asking.

"Her sister died last summer," he said.

The amount of guilt that consumed me could burn me to crisp. All those thoughts I had in my mind about her being an introvert and a bit weird left immediately. Obviously she was like that. I would be too if I had lost someone that close to me. I could feel tears burning at the back of my eyes as I thought about how much pain she must be going through each day.

"Why are _you_ crying?" Gale looked over his shoulder again, an amused grin marking his face.

"You are a heartless jerk," I snapped, tears spilling from my eyes. "Don't you feel the least bit sad for her?"

"No, not really."

"You wouldn't understand." I simply stated. Of course he wouldn't. He was having the time of his life. High school was his kingdom after all.

He didn't say anything to that. His grin slipped off his face as he looked ahead.

"We have reached," he said suddenly. The sentence was so out of context that I looked up surprised to see a cabin. The stop. We had already made it 7 kilometers back.

Wiping my tears, the two of us jogged the rest of the way and informed the teacher. He immediately left with his car.

Looking around, I saw it was like a mini-restaurant like stop. Gale went ahead and ordered two pizzas.

"You cannot just do that!" I quipped.

"Yes, yes I can. And I just did," He smirked.

He had to be this carefree, does he? But then it was a thing to admire. Sitting there with his mouth full of pizza, I couldn't help but admire him. He really enjoyed life, didn't he? No troubles as such. It was a life to live.

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><p>As much of an asshole he may be, he did pay for both of our pizza and we took a ride with the teacher to the final stop. I was insisting that we complete the rest of the hike but Gale had none of it. Instead he ate his pizza and took a nap till the teacher said that he would take us to the final stop where all the buses were. Even the teacher didn't mind so I didn't argue much. All this time I kept on thinking about what Gale had said about Johanna. How she had lost a sister and was dealing with the pain. I could understand her agony. Well, most of it. My mom was still okay and normal enough to function but spending time with her was like a time bomb. Every ticking second reminded me that our time was limited. Still I was relatively in a better position than her.<p>

A sudden jolt of electricity crawled up my spine as something warm bumped into me.

"Sorry Madge," Thom looked at me apologetically. I blushed. Why can't I just talk to him normally? Then I realized. I shouldn't. Bristel likes him as well. I have to curb this down. I can't. "So how's Johanna?"

"Okay, I guess." The bus jerked on the rocky pathway and we swayed a bit. Quite a few people couldn't manage the hike so our bus was used to take them all back to school. The students allocated to our bus were distributed equally among the others and I ended up in the bus that belonged to Thom. "I feel bad," I tell him truthfully.

"Who told you?" He turned to face me. We were both standing in the aisle between the seats having given up our seats to other people.

"Gale did," I said.

"Yeah. It's pretty sad. I don't really know how it feels," I nodded, "But I can't help wonder why would anyone prefer bottling it up," He grimaced.

"Maybe because it isn't time yet, I mean everyone has their own way to handle grief."

"I know but still I worry sometimes. It's not healthy to keep it bottled up." I didn't know Thom and Johanna were that close. Looking out the window at the passing landscape he says, "I don't try to push but sometimes I feel inadequate as a best friend. I mean what use is it to be a best friend when he isn't comfortable enough with me to share his grief."

My heart feels heavy as I register what he just said. My breathing slows down and I gulp this big lump that is forming in my throat. My eyes find their way to his, seeing him eyeing the scenery with guilt coloring his face. "He?"

He turned to look at me skeptically, "Yes, he."

"Who…" I swallowed before continuing, "Who are you talking about?"

"Gale," his scrutiny would have otherwise made me blush from head to toe if I wasn't confused to the very end of my being.

"Why?" My voice was barely a whisper. Why Gale?

"Because Gale was in love with Johanna's sister."

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><p><strong>AN:- This was long. Phew! Anyways, hope you guys like it! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:- The apology chapter here as promised xD!**

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><p>"<em>Because Gale was in love with Johanna's sister."<em>

My heart was thudding against my chest.

"Ms. Undersee, would you mind continuing from where Mr. Grenford left off?"

"_Because Gale was in love with Johanna's sister."_

"Ms. Undersee?"

"_Because Gale was in love with Jo-" _

"Yo, Madge?!" I turn sharply towards the pest who pocked me with his pen. Blue met gray. My expressions softened immediately seeing Gale rotate the said pen on his fingers like a pro. He was looking at me pointedly, his head tilted to the side.

"What?" I asked, surprised that I had no malicious tone in my voice that I usually associated with him. We were in the last row, him near the window and me on the seat beside him. The light from the window gave him a very ethereal glow making his gray eyes standout very distinctly.

"Ms. Undersee!" I flinched at the sudden harshness of the voice and faced the front. The entire class was looking at me. Mr. Abernathy, our homeroom and math teacher, glared daggers at me. "Now that we have your attention, would you mind telling the entire class what was _so_ damn interesting in what you were thinking that you sought it right to ignore me?" I was done.

Mr. Abernathy was known for his strictness…well, after his obsession with alcohol. But nonetheless, he was a respected man. Very knowledgeable with the subject he taught.

My eyes caught Johanna's gaze, who was sitting right in the front. She, realizing I was looking at her quickly averted her gaze to her book. I coughed.

"Um… I- I didn't… I am sorry," I looked down.

A heavy sigh sounded and I looked up to see his anger toned down a bit. "I will let you go for now. Since you are new here. But make sure it does not happen again. I will not restrain from punishing you next time. Am I making myself clear?" I nodded. "Good. Now since no one knows the answer to this, I will solve it and if you don't…" His voice was drowned out by Gale who was chuckling softly beside me.

"_You are a heartless jerk," I snapped, tears spilling from my eyes. "Don't you feel the least bit sad for her?"_

"_No, not really."_

"_You wouldn't understand."_

"What?" I asked a bit irritated.

"You should have seen your face when he asked you what you were thinking," he smiled. A chill went through me.

"_You wouldn't understand."_

"I was just scared he would ask me to solve that sum," I pouted. He cocked his eyebrow at me, his eyes trailing to my lips with an amused grin and I quickly pulled them into a thin line. It didn't help that I ended up blushing. I seriously need to get myself checked up.

"You blushed." It was a statement. A weird one but I still ended up blushing at it. What is wrong with me?

"Yeah whatever," I rolled my eyes and he laughed. I turned to face the class and felt him poke me again. Now what?

"Yes?" I asked with a fake polite.

"Mind telling me what's on your mind?"

"_You wouldn't understand."_

Guilt.

That's what's on my mind. Misjudging him. Calling him names. Everything I did, thought and associated with him. I thought I knew him right down to the core. It's not that hard to reach a core of a person you think it shallow. I was wrong. I am wrong. I was wrong all along.

"Hello? Earth to Madge. You there?" He waved his hand in front of my face and I snapped out of it.

"No-nothing. It wasn't anything."

"Wow, then you really are dumb," He started doodling in his book.

"Excuse me?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

"I meant I knew you were dumb with the way you are," I scoffed, "But, I didn't know you were dumb enough to get lost thinking about _nothing_," he chuckled.

"I am not dumb you know. If anything I am extremely smart as proved by my report card," I smiled. Yes, one thing I had to my name. Academic excellence.

"That's not smartness," he said tilting his chair a bit to face me, leaning ever so slightly. His scent, which was very masculine if you ask me, invaded my senses. Unlike Thom's (yes, I may have sniffed him when we bumped into each other a couple of more times in the bus or I may have not) who's was a very cologne like scent, Gale's I could tell was a natural one. It was musky but clear. Like woods. Like the musky smell of the stored dew and humidity that dots the air but at the same time the clear, unaltered breeze that flows.

"… is what I would like to call a good memory." My eyes I realized were zoned in one his artwork. Which was absolutely, for the lack of a better word, pathetic. "So tell me, what you have is either intelligence or a good memory. Which is it?"

"I-" What was I supposed to say? "Intelligence," I said lamely.

"You are not very modest, are you?" He smirked.

"That's very rich coming from you," I snapped.

"Ouch!" He placed a hand over his heart to fake a heart attack. "You are so judgmental Madge," I know he must have said it as a joke but it hit a nerve. I have been judgmental. My head grew heavy suddenly with the unmeant accusation. "But I am a good judge of character," he said proudly, "and my decree is that you are not very smart."

"And what is it exactly that elicit this particular epiphany?" I retorted.

"Oh I have evidence," he smirked, he smirks a lot doesn't he?

"And what would that be?"

"Your stuttering vocabulary you so shiningly display when you converse with my dear buddy Thom."

Is it that obvious? I must have looked…I don't know how I looked, but that look gave me away. He turned back to his doodling, his smirk back in its place. I didn't say a word for the rest of the class.

* * *

><p>"We saw you," Delly fake whispered when she and Bristel made their way to my desk at the very back. During this week, we were allocated our seats and I ended up sharing my seat with Gale. We had the last bench, the desk near the window and Gale claimed the window seat as soon as he found out his allocated desk. I was left with the seat near the aisle.<p>

"Saw me?"

"We saw you talking to Gale during Abernathy's class," Bristel said. Gale was currently in the next class meeting up with Thom. Thom ended up being in another section altogether. "What were you talking about?"

"Yeah, and we want details!" Delly squeaked.

"Nothing," I say exasperatedly. There's no way in hell I am telling them he was teasing me with Thom. After all, I did like the lie and the like to stay in their own places.

"She doesn't want to tell us!" Delly giggled! "Did you guys talk dirty?" Seriously?

"Now now Delly," Bristel said smugly, "let the couple have their own secrets."

Kill me now.

"But they are so cute together! I mean I haven't Gale seen smile like that since Kylee," Delly said.

"Kylee?" Bristel harshly poked Delly and Delly suddenly realizing what she had just revealed sobered up.

"I am sorry Madge. I, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Who's Kylee?" I pried. I had a feeling that the said person had something to do with a certain first bencher but I wasn't assuming anything before I knew all the facts. I wasn't going to make the same mistakes again.

"Listen, I don't want to sound rude but it isn't our place to say anything."

Just then the bell rang for the next period and Bristel and Delly got up quickly to go back to their seats.

* * *

><p>"Waiting for Prince Charming, are we?" Gale slid into the seat next to me and I jumped in my seat a bit. I was acutely aware of his thigh brushing against mine but it didn't seem to faze him much. Maybe because all of him has brush all of others' other things.<p>

"Why are you sitting here?"

"For your information, I have been sitting at this table longer than you," he said, piercing his juice box with the straw.

"I meant why are you sitting beside me?"

"Why can't I?"

"You can," I mused, slurp, slurp, "but you usually don't so I was just wondering."

"Well, it was refreshing talking to you and as much as I hate saying this, I judged you wrong from the very day I met you. By the way, sorry for that little prank the other day. Thom told me today it was you that I had pranked."

Hmm… must have not recognized me without that blue paint.

"Don't you think…" slurp, "it's a little late for that?"

"It is. I admit. Hence I will offer you my services in return."

"You what?" Please don't be what I think it is. Just please don't.

Slurp, "My services," he inunciated every syllable, slurping his juice very noisily yet again.

"And just what those be?"

"Anything. From advice to chore," he really wasn't making it easy for me to breathe.

"I still don't get you," I got in between those slurping sounds he was making. I was this close to snatching his juice box and throwing it on the cafeteria floor making a show of jumping on it a few times when he put it down with a certain finality.

"How about I help you hook up with Thom? Would that suffice as an apology?"

"H-hook up?"

"God you prude. I meant I will get you in a relationship with Thom." He cocked his eyebrow at me questioningly. Did I want it? Yes. Did I want it happening on the account of Gale's medling? Hell no.

"No thank you." I said turning to my food.

"Okay. Fine. Just don't come to me when it doesn't happen. After all, I know what he likes and dislikes the best." I could feel him shrug rather than see it.

"Awwww," I knew it was Delly before she was even visible to me. Gale and I both looked up simultaneously to see her and Thom making their way to the table. Gale bumped his knee into mine under the table and I pinched him hard just the same. He winched that earned him a look from Thom and Delly both.

Delly sat across from me and beside Thom, giving me that smug smile of hers. This girl needed medical help. "What were you guys talking about?" Delly wiggled her eyebrows.

"Oh we were just discussing about the services that-" he yowled as I pinched him hard and covered it with a fake yawn, "that these lunch ladies provide," he finished lamely, looking at me from the corner of his eyes.

"That is a serious matter to debate," Thom stated smiling his boyish grin. "What do you think about it Madge? Did you have different food at your old school?"

"I-I-" Gale coughed and I elbowed him, "Not much. Same," I could practically feel the smug vibes from Gale and I frowned. Great. "I think I am done for today," I stand up abruptly surprising everyone. Especially Gale. "I will go to the library now." I packed my bag and quickly left my seat.

"Did you guys have a fight or something?" I could hear Delly ask and it wasn't hard to know that it was directed at Gale. I didn't hear his reply as I made my way towards the cafeteria doors. As soon as I crossed them, the silent hallways greeted me. It was a nice change before I could hear footsteps behind me. I walked faster, hoping to avoid any confrontations with the jerk. Before I heard my name being called I was already around the corner, though I stopped at the mere mention of it.

"Madge wait!"

Thom.

I turned around, my anger leaving me all of a sudden and I watched him jog up to me. "Listen, I know Gale is an asshole and whatever it is you two were fighting on, I apologize on his behalf."

Now I felt bad for acting like such a diva. I cringed before facing him properly. "No, it's not his fault. I overreacted."

"You kinda did, didn't you?" He said and I looked up to see him scrunching his nose playfully. I realized he was being sarcastic. I laughed. He was so cute!

"So you good now?" He asked and the concern in his voice made me sore high. I nodded. "Good, see you later then." I quickly nodded and waved my hand.

"I know you are standing right there," I muttered as soon as Thom left and Gale came round the corner with his eyebrows raised. He does that a lot. Raise his eyebrows, I mean. I pointed towards the bulletin board glass and realized I saw his reflections. "You are right. I need your help." He grinned.

"Finally you admit it."

"So now what?"

"Now nothing. But come over to my place after school. We will get the battle plan a quick briefing," he winked and turned to go back to cafeteria.

"Wait, I don't have your address!" I shouted.

"I will text it to you," he shouted right back before turning round the corner and disappearing.

Somehow, this idea sounds wrong to me on every level.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:- I don't know what went wrong with my laptop but my extension for this file was messed up and I couldn't get it uploaded. Anyways, I will finally get a good grip on the story after a few chapters.**

**Gale Lover - You have been awesome! I love your reviews :D They keep me going!**

**stellaslomp****, ****swimmer07****, ****NurseKelly****, ****FieryGoldenPhoenix**** and anonime – Thanks to you guys as well. Lovely of you to let me know that you are reading it at least so I can go on writing it. **

**And also, please excuse all the errors if any. I like to work without a beta and I was in a hurry to post this and I didn't have enough time to beta it. Bear with me.**

**Love you,**

**Lynn**


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